Minnesota Basketball Coach Suspended for Allegedly Using Racist Slur during Team Meeting

“He really was a big impact for me and my players,” said John Schultz, a resident in the district and fellow youth basketball coach.

Annie Roslansky, who has two children in schools in Eden Prarie, said students in the district should have a “safe space” to discuss social media and mental health issues and learn that “mistakes happen.”

“What matters is how we learn from it and how we grow,” Roslansky said.

Cultural competency experts explained words have consequences and they should be chosen carefully.

“Having a greater understanding of the cultures of other people makes you less likely to make mistakes, less likely to say things that offend people and less likely to engage in behaviors that are harmful,” Seena Hodges, Former Minnesota Department of Education cultural competency trainer, said. “Cultural competency is really important.”

Hodges is also the founder and CEO of “The Woke Coach.”

The coach, who has also worked as a fifth-grade teacher in the district since 2006, led Eden Prairie to a 28-0 record in the 2019-20 season before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the remaining state tournament games, including the Class AAAA championship. That year, he was named the National High School Coaches Association’s coach of the year.

To read the full story from KSTP about the Eden Prairie controversy, click here.